Fun with scientific notation!

Zimbabwe's inflation rate is now believed to exceed 13 quadrillion percent per month, which works out annually to the absolutely fantastic number of 2.3 * 10^193. Now since that number isn't nearly as fun in scientific notation, let's also think of it as:

• 2,329,800,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000.
• Two thousand three hundred and thirty vigintillion vigintillion vigintillion.
• More than the number of elementary particles in the entire universe.
  

For the record, that means that prices double approximately every thirteen hours in Zimbabwe. So if you're a Zimbabwean in the employ of the civil service (like most Zimbabweans still lucky enough to be employed) you have to run to the store with your thrice-daily pay, as what few goods are still on the shelves will become noticeably more expensive in the time it takes you to get to the shop.

Isn't it amazing what going absolutely bonkers with a banknote printing press will accomplish?

Wow, continued...

This is a good day.

If he can do half of what he promises, tomorrow will be a good day too.

It's hard to keep walls of cynicism up tonight.

And so it is.

Wow. It actually just happened.

It's been a very big week...

During which the full force of the energy crisis hit me, crippling my ability to blog. But in brief...

I published my first book, of which I am the editor and uncredited co-author: "Reporting Safe Migration and Human Trafficking: A Guide for Media Practitioners". The bloodless title was not my idea.

I was named the Best-Dressed Person working for CECI (my employer) in Nepal. That's a little like being the tallest midget at the circus, but hey, it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

I've got a job interview with the Canadian Foreign Service! I'll be off to (probably) Hong Kong in (probably) early March. Joy!

I'm trying to come up with something profound and insightful to say about Obama's epic inauguration tomorrow, but so far I've been lethargic with an incredible swell of relief that the catastrophic reign of Bush is finally at its end. I'll think hard about what to say by tomorrow.

It's that time again!

When the Buffalo Beast's delectable new edition of the 50 Most Loathsome People in America is released onto unsuspecting web audiences. If you can tolerate bitter satire laced with a total lack of regard for human decency, this one's for you. Just try to get past the Obama listing if you're fragile.

May I live in Nepal in interesting times...

This is a complex place.

We have 4 hours of useful electricity per day.

There are occasional street riots, though I've been unable to find them each that they've happened.

Cows graze on garbage here, rather than grass, which contradicts everything I thought I knew about ruminant gastroenterology.

And there are rumours of an imminent military coup swirling about. I don't think it would be like the one in Thailand.

For such a small, poor country, Nepal has phenomenally Byzantine politics. This blog will, for the foreseeable future, focus on decoding this insanity, until my employers or more sinister forces tell me to stop.

It's late and I'm tired...

Which merely emphasizes the urgency of what I'm about to say: Slumdog Millionaire is absolutely fantastic. If you haven't already seen it (and if you're in a comfortable Western country, shame on you) cancel all other plans, skip work, and go see it right now. It has quickly elbowed its way into my all-time Top Ten, and may even have dethroned The Dark Knight as my favourite movie of the year.

OK, now I'm going to bed.

I'm still here!

Today I went to Asan, a wondrously crowded warren of shops and stalls hawking pashminas, spices, crafts and tools. I went camera in hand, and found it a photographic goldmine - I'll post the results here as I'm able to upload them.

For example:



And:

In which I state the obvious...

Happy New Year from Kathmandu! Hopefully yours was eventful and brought little agony the next morning. Last night I reveled in the one-day suspension of Kathmandu's draconian 11PM curfew, and with a handful of other impoverished Canucks wandered from bar to restaurant to bar to scuzzy sandwich joint to bar to mysterious tower block in the midst of this odd urban wasteland. I rediscovered my genuine affection for Bhangra music, and surreptitiously dumped mystery shots (pure vodka, I think) into the fountain of one of Kathmandu's classiest restaurants. I got home at 5AM, and for some unrelated reason I'm a mite foggy today...

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